Ari's Eulogy
by animerocksgirl13
Summary: Max's unspoken eulogy to her brother. The one she was planning on reading, before she cried.


**Ari's Eulogy**

"I remember when I met you in the school. I was being walked to the testing labs by Jeb when, me being my seven-year-old self, caught sight of the nursery. Normally, that was where hybrids were kept up until they were three, so when I saw a normal-looking baby instead of a kid with a tail, I couldn't help but be curious. That baby looked normal, like the whitecoats, whom I assumed were normal looking.

"'Jeb' I remember asking 'Why is that baby in there? He looks… normal.' Jeb laughed, held my hand, and continued walking me to the labs. 'That's Ari' he said 'that's my boy.' I stared at him in awe, not at the fact he was a real father and not mine (like I imaged), but at the fact you were _normal_.

"We, me and the flock, were freaks. Mutants who would never be like an average human, and I envied that you were. I recall making Jeb take me into the nursery after testing so I could hold you.

"You were tiny enough to fit right into my arms and leave enough room for you to move as you tried to break free of a stranger's arms. But, after about two years, you were used to it.

"Even as a squirt, you followed me around when I wasn't on my butt in a cage. Your blond hair would reflect the Arizona sun as you trotted as fast as your tot legs could carry you, the green in your eyes would shine as my wings stretched open and moved while your small mouth formed an 'O' in amazement. I loved watching you react, after all, you were a little baby, still learning about the world. It must've been like a movie to you.

"For the most part, I didn't act like I paid attention to you, but I really did. On the inside, though. I was fascinated that you were different than us and that you didn't go through the routines that were did. And Ari, for the next year, all your two year old mind was focused on was me. You followed and baby-babbled to me all day every day. It seemed like your father just programmed you to be my personal stalker, which honestly, I didn't mind.

"And Ari, darling, I can't imagine what it was like for you when we left. Everyone in your life that actually meant something to you, gone. I can't picture waking up with no one there to hold you or kiss your forehead; to fan you with your wings or put a Band-Aid on your scraped knee. All I can think of is how much… _anger _and _hate_ you had at that moment. It must've felt like no one cared about you, or even remembered you.

"But we did care about you. I thought of you, even if it was only once. Once, when I was eleven, the day before the anniversary of when were escaped the School, I walked up to Jeb in kitchen and said, 'Do you think Ari is okay?' I saw your father's face tighten and his hands tense. All he could give was a small nod and the words 'I know he is.' I guess it was a bad choice on my part to not ask more.

"From about six months ago, you were back. But you, Ari darling, were different. Over the four years we were gone, they turned you into a monster. I didn't hate you, I never did (Dislike is different than hate), but I was scared. And I was angry, at Jeb mostly. He had left you behind and they had let you become a mutant. They threw away half of the reasons I envied you: your normalcy. And at that moment, you weren't the Ari who had watched me lift two feet off the ground with wonder in his eyes. They changed you.

"In the sewers of New York… I… I can never say how sorry I am. I can never say the feeling in my heart when your neck snapped. I'll never be able to tell you that during that night, one lone tear slipped down my face as I recalled you saying that you would never hurt me that way. And Ari, I never meant to. I never wanted to hurt you, you had been like a brother to me (We are siblings, after all), no matter what the School had done to you.

"That is why I let you into my mini-flock and chose you over Fang. That's why I put enough trust into you to let you travel with us and see the world, before your… time. And you know what? I was damn happy I was showing you the world, no matter if you had nearly killed Fang twice, or kidnapped Angel, or caused me more bloody noses than I could count. You were still Ari, that boy in the lab who I held when he was no more than one month old, and the boy who was already about to die at his seventh, soon to be eighth, year of life. Even under all of that Eraser exterior.

"You had died a hero, saving everyone's lives and dying in action. You should be proud that at least you died with someone. You didn't die alone.

"So Ari, brother, child, fighter, ally, enemy, I will never know if this reaches your eyes in heaven, or whatever comes next (I might know soon), but I just want you to know that I love you and that I'm going to miss you forever."


End file.
